Fixing Erosion—Even on a No-Till Farm

We are 100% no-till on our farm. That means we plant without tillage to preserve the soil and reduce erosion commonly caused by conventional farming practices. But even with no-till, erosion can still happen—especially on slopes during heavy rain events, which seem to come more often these days.

When we see erosion starting, we act quickly. We shape the affected area into a gentle slope to slow the water and direct it safely, then plant cereal rye in at least two directions across the slope. This cover crop helps hold the soil in place and reduce further erosion.

In some cases, temporary fixes aren’t enough—so we install permanent grassed waterways. These areas are designed to handle runoff year after year without losing topsoil, keeping our fields productive and protecting downstream water quality.

No-till isn’t a silver bullet, but with careful management and smart solutions, we’re doing our part to keep the soil where it belongs.